Pasta Primavera

This is a new recipe I tried last night for Pasta Primavera.   The family loved it. The pasta and veggies are coated in a rich creamy Parmesan sauce accented with fresh basil.  It was delicious. The preparation time was a little long with the cutting and cooking of the veggies, but the dish was well worth the wait.

This dish makes 4 generous portions.



Pasta Primavera
The Pioneer Woman 

 Ingredients:
1 cup Bite-sized Broccoli Pieces (up To 1 1/2 Cups)
1/2 whole Onion, Diced Finely
3 cloves To 4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped Finely
2 whole Medium To Large Carrots, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally)
2 whole Medium Zucchini, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally)
1 whole Medium Yellow Squash (optional)
1 container (about 5 Oz.) White Button Or Baby Porcini Mushrooms, Roughly Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Into Strips
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 pound Pasta (I Like Penne)
 FOR THE SAUCE:
1/4 cup Dry White Wine, Up To 1/2 Cup (optional, Replace With Additional Broth If Not Using)
1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
1 cup Half-and-half
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
5 leaves Basil (or More To Taste), Plus Extra For Garnish
1/2 cup Frozen Peas

INSTRUCTIONS
First, prep the vegetables. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ cups worth. Dice half a yellow onion. Chop 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Slice carrots on the bias (diagonally), and do the same for the zucchini and yellow squash. Roughly slice the mushrooms and slice the red pepper (seeded) into strips.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic together and cook for a minute or two, until they start to turn translucent. Then throw in the broccoli. Stir, and add in the carrots.

Stir it around, and PLEASE, PLEASE cook it for only a minute, tops. Transfer the mixture to a plate. Add in the red pepper strips to the skillet. Stir them around for a minute or so, then transfer them to the plate.

Add pasta to slightly salted boiling water and cook to al dente.

Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add squash and zucchini, cook for less than a minute, then transfer to plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two (add salt to taste), and again transfer to the plate.

FOR THE SAUCE

To make the sauce, pour ¼ to ½ cup dry white wine into the skillet (see note below). Add ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, a tablespoon of butter and scrape the bottom of the skillet to pull up the flavor left behind by the veggie cooking. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken.

Add 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup half-and-half. Measure out ½ cup grated Parmesan; add to the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade 5 to 6 fresh basil leaves and add that to the sauce; stir.

Dump veggies and mushrooms into the sauce along with ½ cup frozen peas right out of the freezer. Add pasta al dente and stir. If the sauce seems a little thick, or if there doesn’t seem to be enough sauce, add a good splash of chicken broth and a little more half-and-half. Top with more Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.



Note: if you’re averse to wine, add chicken broth instead. But watch the salt later.

Beef Noodle Stir Fry

Stir Fry is a wonderful quick meal to make for dinner.  My family loves having Stir Fry.   You have veggies, meat or fish, all cooked together in a wonderful sauce.  You can serve it over noodles or rice.

This recipe for Beef Noodle Stir Fry has beef, mushrooms, broccoli and carrots cooked in a sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ground black pepper.   You then add in some cooked udon noodles and stir.

Deliciousness in every bite.   Noodles with a flavorful sauce clinging to them with tasty bites of beef, broccoli, and mushrooms.  A meal you will be proud to serve your family and friends.

Beef Noodle Stir Fry
Damn Delicious

INGREDIENTS:
2 (7-ounce) refrigerated udon noodles, seasoning sauce packets discarded
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces beef top sirloin filet, thinly sliced across the grain
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
6 ounces broccoli florets
2 carrots, diced

FOR THE SAUCE:
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flake and ground black pepper; set aside.
In a large pot of boiling water, cook udon noodles according to package instructions; drain well.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add beef and cook, flipping once, until browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
Stir in mushrooms, broccoli and carrots to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in udon noodles, beef and soy sauce mixture until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4